Another doping case shakes up Colombia as one of the top conti riders Marco Tulio Suesca faces possibility of lengthy ban

Marco Tulio Suesca must fear a years-long suspension. The 29-year-old Colombian tested positive for EPO during an out-of-competition check in September. Suesca has been provisionally suspended by the Colombian anti-doping tribunal.

Suesca has already been sidelined by his Movistar-Best PC team and is now awaiting the B sample and a final verdict from the anti-doping authorities involved. The climber tested positive before the start of the Vuelta de Boyacá, but still started in this race. Suesca was even successful with a stage win and also won a stage at the subsequent Vuelta al Ecuador.

The Colombian never managed to make the step to the pros during his cycling career, but in recent years he has been one of the better cyclists on the South and Central American circuit. For example, he won the Vuelta a Costa Rica last year and was fifth in the highly regarded Vuelta a Colombia. This year he was 3rd behind strong duo from Medellín (López and Sevilla) in Vuelta Bantrab, or 6th at Tour de la Guadeloupe.

The provisionally suspended Suesca raced for the continental formation Movistar-Best PC since December 2022. Before that he rode for the club team Equipe Continental Orgullo Paisa. Seven years ago, in 2016, he was also a trainee at the now defunct formation Manzana Postobon with whom he made a brief appearance in Europe.